This copy is for your personal non-commercial use only. To order presentation-ready copies of Toronto Star content for distribution to colleagues, clients or customers, or inquire about permissions/licensing, please go to: www.TorontoStarReprints.com

Manchester City, Guardiola shock Barcelona

The coach who helped build Spanish power leads his new team past his old.

Manchester City's Ilkay Gundogan celebrates his first-half goal, which started a rally that led to a 3-1 win over Barcelona. (Phil Noble / REUTERS)

By Steve DouglasThe Associated Press

Tues., Nov. 1, 2016

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND—Pep Guardiola brought down the footballing superpower he helped to create, leading Manchester City to a 3-1 win over Barcelona in a landmark Champions League result for the English club on Tuesday.

The victory that City and its Abu Dhabi ownership has craved since joining the Europe elite in 2011 was achieved the hard way, too, coming after Lionel Messi gave Barcelona a 21st-minute lead with his 90th goal in the Champions League.

City took advantage of a defensive error to equalize through Ilkay Gundogan in the 39th minute and swarmed all over Barcelona in the second half, with a free kick from Kevin De Bruyne and Gundogan’s second goal completing the comeback.

City has modeled itself on Barcelona — in the boardroom, on the field and most recently in the dug-out by bringing in Guardiola, who coached Barcelona to 14 trophies from 2008-12 and turned the Messi-inspired team into perhaps the greatest club side ever.

For that reason, it was the sweetest of wins for City.

Article Continued Below

“Now we realize we won against the best team (in the world),” Guardiola said. “For the future generations, they are going to realize, ‘Wow, these guys are able to beat the best team.’ ”

It was also crucial in the short term for City, reigniting its Group C campaign that would have been on the rocks with a loss at Etihad Stadium. City is now two points behind first-placed Barcelona after four games, with both teams big favourites to progress to the last 16.

For 38 minutes, Barcelona looked like rolling to a sixth straight win over City in the last four seasons in the Champions League, the most recent being a 4-0 victory in Camp Nou two weeks ago. Barcelona coach Luis Enrique said it was one of the best passages of play his team has ever produced, with City’s defence carved open by the potent front three of Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez.

Messi’s goal came at the end of a length-of-the field counterattack, which started after a City free kick was cleared. City’s defending was reckless, with its deepest defender 10 metres inside Barcelona’s half when Messi fired a crossfield pass toward Neymar to instigate the move.

Neymar ran to the edge of the area and timed his pass perfectly to the onrushing Messi, who took the ball in his stride before gliding between two defenders and placing a low shot inside the near post.

The turning point in the match was an error from Barcelona right back Sergi Roberto, whose inside pass to Sergio Busquets was wayward and collected by Sergio Aguero. He slipped in Raheem Sterling, who had the vision to slide a cross over to Gundogan to tap in left-footed at the far post.

“When you concede a goal in that way, it is normal that you go through a bad period,” Luis Enrique said.

That bad period lasted the rest of the game.

Group A: Arsenal and PSG are tied with 10 points and each could win the group — and seeded status in the round of 16 draw — with victory when they play in London on Nov. 23.

Both needed late goals to secure three points on Tuesday.

PSG dominated at Basel but a 2-1 win was only sealed in the 90th by defender Thomas Meunier’s volleyed shot from outside the penalty area into the top right corner of the net. The Swiss side was down to 10 men at the time, following an 84th minute red card for midfielder Geoffroy Serey Die.

Arsenal advanced from its group for a 17th consecutive season under coach Arsene Wenger. Down 2-0 after 15 minutes, the game was soon level through goals by Granit Xhaka and Olivier Giroud.

Ozil then perhaps bettered his hat trick in a 6-0 rout of Ludogorets last month. He collected a through ball, lifted it over goalkeeper Milan Borjan, and then glided past two defenders before calmly slotting into an empty net.

Group B: In a tight group, Napoli and Benfica have seven points while unbeaten Besiktas has six. Penalties were key to Besiktas and Napoli drawing 1-1 in Istanbul, and Benfica beating visiting Dynamo Kyiv 1-0.

Besiktas led in the 79th when Ricardo Queresma scored from the spot, and Napoli talisman Marek Hamsik’s arching shot from distance levelled three minutes later.

Group D: Atletico, a Champions League finalist in two of the past three seasons, is the only club with four wins.

Antoine Griezmann’s stoppage time goal, adding to his acrobatic opener in the 28th, clinched a 2-1 win against Russian newcomer Rostov. Sardar Azmoun’s leveler in the 30th was the first goal conceded by Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak in this season’s competition.

Bayern forward Robert Lewandowski scored twice in a comeback 2-1 win in Eindhoven, where PSV led through defender Santiago Arias in the 14th.

More from the Toronto Star & Partners

LOADING

Copyright owned or licensed by Toronto Star Newspapers Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or distribution of this content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Toronto Star Newspapers Limited and/or its licensors. To order copies of Toronto Star articles, please go to: www.TorontoStarReprints.com